Asif Rizwan, Ph.D.

Dr. Asif Rizwan is a Program Director in the Diagnostic Biomarkers and Technology Branch (DBTB) of DCTD. He leads efforts to develop biomarkers, innovative technologies and devices. These advancements may provide better research tools and assist clinical decision-making. His work integrates machine learning with cancer biology to advance diagnostics, prognostics, and prediction, transforming research into actionable tools to improve patient outcomes.

Dr. Rizwan joined NCI in February 2024, following his role as a Program Director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). In this role, he managed research grants in genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. He contributed to initiatives such as TOPMed, BioData Catalyst, and trans-NIH RADx and HEAL, promoting AI/ML applications and cloud-based ecosystems. He co-led NIEHS-NHLBI collaborations on projects linking health, environmental, and exposure data to address climate change’s health impacts.

Before joining NIH, Dr. Rizwan served as a Senior Scientific Officer at the Department of Defense (DoD)’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, overseeing a cancer research portfolio focused on biomedical engineering and data science. As a Research Fellow at Johns Hopkins Medicine, he conducted studies on cancer imaging, metastasis, and metabolism.

Dr. Rizwan earned his Ph.D. in Biophysics and Systems Biology from Cornell University. He has received three NIH Director’s Awards (2021, 2022, 2023), authored numerous peer-reviewed publications, led trans-agency workshops, and driven impactful biomedical innovations. His expertise spans biomedical engineering, AI/ML, and omics, reflecting a career devoted to advancing health science and technology.

Selected Publications

• Gurkan UA, Wood DK, Carranza D, Herbertson LH, Diamond SL, Du E, Guha S, Di Paola J, Hines PC, Papautsky I, Shevkoplyas SS, Sniadecki NJ, Pamula VK, Sundd P, Rizwan A, Qasba P, Lam WA. Next generation microfluidics: fulfilling the promise of lab-on-a-chip technologies. Lab Chip. 2024 Mar 26;24(7):1867-1874.
• Rizwan A, Paidi SK, Zheng C, Cheng M, Barman I, Glunde K. Mapping the genetic basis of breast microcalcifications and their role in metastasis. Sci Rep. 2018 Jul 23;8(1):11067.
• Rizwan A, Bulte C, Kalaichelvan A, Cheng M, Krishnamachary B, Bhujwalla ZM, Jiang L, Glunde K. Metastatic breast cancer cells in lymph nodes increase nodal collagen density. Sci Rep. 2015 May 7;5:10002.
• Rizwan A, Cheng M, Bhujwalla ZM, Krishnamachary B, Jiang L, Glunde K. Breast cancer cell adhesome and degradome interact to drive metastasis. NPJ Breast Cancer. 2015 Oct 28;1:15017.
• Rizwan, A., Glunde, K. (2014). Imaging of Tumor Metabolism: MR Spectroscopy. In: Luna, A., Vilanova, J., Hygino da Cruz Jr., L., Rossi, S. (eds) Functional Imaging in Oncology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.

Education

• Ph.D., Cornell University and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, NY
• M.S., University of Texas, Arlington, TX